If you’ve used plywood to protect your home from hurricanes in the past, hurricane panel installation using multiwall polycarbonate is a doable DIY. Like plywood, polycarbonate hurricane panels can be direct mounted to your home without the use of installing a framing system, but they are lighter, transparent, and can be reused. Here’s what you need to know (about tools, materials, and maintenance) and how to install hurricane panels.
Why Should You Install Hurricane Panels?
Doors and windows are the weakest point of a home during a hurricane. All it takes is flying debris to break the glass to leave your home exposed to a hurricane’s damaging wind and rain. Covering your windows and doors to prevent this type of damage is one of the most important things you can do. Plywood works well but is cumbersome. Multiwall polycarbonate is not only lighter, it’s easier to handle and store for the next storm. The hurricane panels also allow light to filter into your home so you can install the panels a few days before a storm and still have natural light if you lose power during a storm.
Tools and Materials Needed for Hurricane Panel Installation
Sure, you need some skill, and maybe a second set of hands to help, but here are some more essentials for hurricane panel installation:
- Drill
- Measuring tape
- Drill bits
- Circular saw
- Mounting hardware, specific to your house (wood, brick, block, etc.)
- Anchor screws, wingnuts, washers
- Stud finder
- Level
- Sharpie pen
- Good to have on hand: ladder, work gloves, safety glasses, dust mask
Once you have your tools, you will need your panels: There are different types of multiwall polycarbonate panels. They all offer impact resistance to different degrees so be sure to purchase the correct panels for hurricane protection. Here are the major differences between polycarbonate panels:
Twinwall Polycarbonate sheets are composed of two layers of polycarbonate material with hollow channels in between them. They are commonly used for skylights because of their durability and clarity.
Clear Polycarbonate sheets are as transparent as glass, though much lighter in weight and more resistant to breaking than glass. Due to its clarity, it is commonly used in safety shields, machine guards, signage, and retail displays.
Bullet-Resistant Polycarbonate sheets protect against more than weather. Available in 3 levels of protection and a variety of thicknesses and sizes, it is used in retail store applications, banks, and other institutions for protection from high-velocity projectiles.
Multiwall Polycarbonate sheets get their strength from multiple layers of polycarbonate material to ensure strong protection from flying debris in adverse weather events.
The 16mm Multiwall Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels from Acme Plastics are approved by Florida State and Miami-Dade County for direct mount installation. They have passed the Miami-Dade County Hurricane test, withstanding a Large Missile Impact test where a 9 lb. 2” X 4” missile as shot out of an air cannon without causing any damage to the panel or the glass behind it. Additionally, the panels have been tested against high air pressure, simulating 170 MPH winds, and have proven their durability.
Hurricane panel installation with multiwall polycarbonate can be done with tools you probably already own. But you may need additional hardware pieces, such as brackets for windowsills, an H-panel connector for sliding glass doors or larger windows, and caulk/sealants to shore up any cracks or gaps.
Next, we break down how to install hurricane panels step by step.
Step 1: Prepare Your Windows and Doors
First, make sure to measure openings accurately. For proper hurricane panel installation, you’ll need to add 8 inches to the height and width of each window. This way there will be an excess of 4 inches on all sides. The one exception: if your window has a sill at the bottom just add 4 inches to the height. You’ll be using a bracket to attach the panel at the sill so it sits flush against the window opening.
You’ll also need to clean surfaces for proper installation. Sure, you clear away any objects that can be tossed in the wind—think toys, garden hoses, window boxes, and potted plants. But you want to clean the exterior surface around the window, too. Just a quick spray and wipe with a soap and water solution to remove any grime. This will help any caulk or sealant adhere to the house better.
Step 2: Cut the Hurricane Panels
Measure, mark, and cut the panels for each window using a circular saw with a fine-tooth blade. Once each panel is cut, measure and mark drill holes 6 inches from each corner and one inch from the edge. Then mark about every 12 inches. Pre-drill the holes into the panel using a step bit.
While polycarbonate is easy to cut and doesn’t splinter or crack, you still want to take safety precautions. Wear protective glasses and consider wearing a mask so you don’t inhale any small particles from the polycarbonate.
Step 3: Install Mounting Hardware
To attach brackets and/or hardware securely, use a stud finder to locate studs in the exterior walls (for stucco homes find the studs from the interior of your home and then measure its distance from the window). Next, center the panel over the window with the UV protective side facing out. Use a level to make sure the panel is square and level. Mark the pre-drilled holes from the polycarbonate panels onto your home’s exterior, ensuring they are on the studs. Put the panel aside and using the marks as a guide, drill the anchors into your siding. If necessary, install the bracket on sill following manufacturer’s directions.
Step 4: Attach the Multiwall Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels
Now you’re ready to secure your hurricane panels over your windows. Follow these steps:
- First, remove the protective plastic on the interior-facing side of the panel.
- Place the panel over the window, lining up the holes with the anchor posts and insert the panel onto the mounting hardware to cover the window.
- Place washer on each post and secure with wing nuts, taking care not to overtighten.
- Once panel is secure over the window remove the outer protective seal from the panel.
- Using a Sharpie, write the window’s location (bathroom; living room, left; living room, right, etc.) on the panel. This will make it easier to place the panel in the correct location in the future.
- Lastly, seal any gaps between the panels and the mounting surface with weatherproof caulking to prevent water infiltration.
Step 5: Final Checks and Maintenance
Do a visual check of the panel to make sure it sits flat and all wing nuts are uniformly tightened so that there are no gaps in which wind and water may enter.
To remove hurricane panels after a storm, simply loosen the wing nuts, remove the washers and then remove the panels. Once you remove the panels, place protective caps on the anchors (the caps may be painted to match the color of your home). The panels should be cleaned with mild soap and water to remove dirt and salt residue and inspected for cracks and replace any damaged panels. Polycarbonate hurricane panels are easily stored—they should be stacked and stored in a cool, dry location.
Boost Your Safety with Acme’s Polycarbonate Hurricane Panels
Low-maintenance multiwall polycarbonate panels are easy to install and easy to store. As discussed above, the hurricane panel installation process is straightforward: just measure, mark, and cut the panels, drill to install the hardware, then secure the panels over the windows.
Keep in mind that the best time to prepare for a hurricane is before hurricane season. If you’re interested in protecting your home against the next storm, contact us today for more information on our polycarbonate hurricane panels.
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